Improvement in breech-loading- ordnance



W. BACON.

, Breech-Loading Ordnance.

Patented May 11, 1869."

I mz-vwa incited garter am a WILLIAM BACON, .OF MONT-ICELLO, KANSAS."

Letters Patent No. 89,965, dated May 11,1869.

p The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it rncy concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM BACON, of Monticello, in thecounty of Johnson, and State of Kansas, have invented anew and improved Breech-Loading 0rdnance; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whioh- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, through line a: x of fig. 2,

Figure 2 is'a plan. Figures 3 and 4' are longitudinal vertical sections, showing the lock-apparatus.

Figure'5 is a transverse vertical section of the barrel, taken through the line 2 z of fig. 3'.

The object of this invention is to so improve the construction of breech-loading ordnance, that the breech can be opened and closed more easily and effectually than heretofore; 'while the lock or firing-apparatus is so improved as to make it more simple, convenient, and certain inoperation. The barrel, also, is

constructed in a novel manner, whereby its strength isincreased, and its cost diminished.

, In the drawings- 1 Aindicates the barrel, it being constructed of a central core, consisting of four longitudinal sections, a a

a a arranged, as shown, and wound, on their outside, with wire, as seen at W W, figs. l and 2, the

breech being wound with a larger number of coils than the rest of the barrel, so as properly to increase its strength.

The parts a a (113a. maybe made of the same kind of metal, brass, steel, wrought or cast-iron, or copper, or some of said parts may be made of one metal, and some of another, as represented by the different colors To prevent the wires from spreading, add to the strength and finish of the piece, and provide means for supporting it upon its carriage, two stout disks, B B, are attached to the barrel, one at the muzzle,

the other at the breech, being fitted and shrunk on,

.the rear arms 0 c of the strap G, and being fastened firmly thereto, and their rear ends-extending to the proper distance beyond the breechof the core, and being adapted to support, at that extremity, a block, E, pivoted to them, and between them, upon a-shaft, F, or truunions, to which it is. firmly fixed, so, that by rocking the shaft or trunnions, the block will rock also upon. its pivot.

The side beams D D may be properly fastened to the disks B B. Perhaps the simplest and best method of thus iasteping it, will be to elongate the disks at the side of the gun, cut a notch or gain in the elongated part, and pass the beam or strap D D through such notch, bolting it to the edge of the disk at that point.

Firmly fixed to the shaft F, outside'of the beams D D, on each side of the block E, is a stout arm or crank, G, connected, by a rod or pitman, H, to a sliding block, I,' which travels upon andis held in place, and guided by the beam D or D, as-the case may be, behind the rear disk or plate B:

On one or both ends of the shaft there, may also be afiixed a stout hand-lever, L,- by which to rock'the' shaft, and thus to move the blocks I I up against, or withdraw them from the breech of the gun.

Nuts, collars, washers, 850., as at K, may be employedwhen necessary. Y

I Pivoted between and to the blocks II, is a breech-- block, J, consisting of two parts, 0' i, the former a block, fitting tightly against the'rear end of the barre], the disk B being considered a part of the barrel, and the latter a cylindrical projection, from the centre of the block, which, when the latter is moved forward against the barrel, enters the cavityof the breech, accurately fitting and filling the bore.

,Around the cylinder 12, a groove is cut in the block 1', to fit the projecting end of the core.

The block J extends considerably below the pivots or trunnion, upon-which it bangs, and, near its lower end, is provided with a handle, it, by which it can be,

swung on its pivot'wh'en drawn back from the breech, so as to bring the cylindrical part in line with'the bore, or throw it up out of the. way, and leave the breech open toreccivc the load. Y

A projecting arm may extend back from the lower" edge of the core, its upper surfaceiu'line with the bore, to serve as a rest or stop, upon which the cylindrical part, i, will repose when ready .to enter the breech, as'above described. In such case, an opening must be provided in the block a, to accommodate the projecting arm when the block is moved forward.

' The block J, constructed'an'd operating as thus described, is the part that closes the breech when the gun is to be fired. r r

It is evident, that if some device were not employed to prevent it, the force of the explosion would at once throw the breech-block out of place, and perhaps de stroy the whole apparatus. Accordingly, I provide, for the purpose, a stout SGIGW7bOlt,M, screwing through the block E, against the rear side of the block J, and forcing the latter firmly .againstthe barrel.

Any explosive force sutiicient to "blow the block J away from the breech, when thus held in position,

must be suflicient', first, to overcome the tensile strength of both straps or beams D. D, and snap them asunder.

It is evident that they can be made (and should he made).strong enough to resist any force that may thus be brought to bear upon them;

In operating'the parts, to open the breech, the bolt M "must first be partially unscrewed, (a turn or two will besuificient,) in order to allow its forward end to clear itself from the block J when thrown up. Then, by a movement of the lever L, its forwardend is raised out-of the way, while simultaneously, and by the same movement, the breech-block is withdrawn from the ban'eli The cylindrical part of the latter may then be thrown up out of the way, by means of the lever h, as above explained. 4

The block E may be elongated, as shown .at E, in order to hold the screw-bolt more firmly, and the block J may have a rest afilxed to its rear side, for the purpose of supporting the end of the screwM in the same manner that the projection b,.(see fig. 3,) on the rear end of the core, stops and guides the cylinder/t.

This being the general construction and operation of the breech-loading apparatus, it now remains only to describe the nature of the firing-device.

The cylinder 'i/ is provided with a chamber, in which is fixed a small tube or barrel,-m, that receives a common pin-fire, needle-fire, or percussion-cartridge, adapted to be fired by the R, operated by a spring, S, attached to the rear side ofthe block J. v 4

The rod R is jointed at a", in order that it'may not' The remainder of the apparatus is simply for cocking and firing.-

A notch, o, is made in the side ofrod B, into which sets astop, 0, held in contact with the rod bya spring, 12.

A lever,.n, is so constructed, and, by means of a link 0", connected to the stop, that when the upper arm of the lever is pulled forward, by means of a cord,

forward motion of a'rod,

M, it lifts the stop out of the notch o, and allows the spring S to retract the rod and discharge the gun.

It requires 'but a very slight cavitym the block J to accommodate all the parts of the firing-apparatus,

and the existence of such cavity has no appreciable efi'eot to diminish the strength of the breech-block.

Anadit, e, can be made through the side of the cylinder, to therear end of the small tube m, as shown in fig. 4, in order that the small cartridge may be readily inserted, or its shell removed.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. The gun, constructed of the central core 0, the wire w, the two disks B B, the front strap 0, and the side straps D D, having the trunnions, upon which the gun is supported inits carriage, all said parts being constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the block E, pivoted between the parts D l), the armsG G, the rods H H, and'the blocks I I, guided by the parts D D, and carrying the breech-block J, all said parts being constructed to op-' 'erate as and for the purpose describedv 3. In combination with the parts E, F, G, H, I, and a J, the screw-bolt M, operating as and for the purpose set forth. J

'4. In combination with the main barrel of the gun, the small barrel or tube 1, adapted to tear and pew trate the gun-cartridge, and to discharge into it a small cartridge, as herein described.

- 5. In combination with the pivoted breech-block J the small tube m, rod R, and spring S, arranged (all except the spring) within the block J, and operating substantially as described r 6. The arrangement of the red It, stop 0', link 0", spring 12, lever 1, spring .8, and cordM, in connection with each other, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

7. The adit 0, when arranged in connection'with the breech-block J, and the partscontained therein,- sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

To the above specification of my improvement, I have set my hand, this 20th day of J anuary, 1869. 1 I WILLIAM BACON. Witnesses:

NATHAN K. ELLswoRTH, Onsnnns A. Pnr'rrr. 

